John x miller



July 28, 1925.

J. J. MILLER PLASTERING- MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1925 Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. MILLER, or crrrcaeo, mnmora rms'rnnme mama.

Application and September 1923. Serial Ito. 081,085.

To all wh omz'tmay concern.-

v Be it known that I, JOHN J. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at 600 quired, over any West Erie St., Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plastering Machines; and'I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andv use the'same.

This invention relates to a novel plastering machine adapted to convey plaster from a suitable receptacle or hopper and to discharge the same onto a spreader or revoluble trowel to facilitate the plastering of walls and the like and greatly reducethe cost and amount 'of work and energy reethod now or heretofore practiced.

Another objectof the invention isto rovide a novelplastering machine by w ich the plaster or other cementitious material is forced through a conduit by motive-power, to'the spreader ortrowel so thatthereceptacle for containing theplaster may be positioned on the ground or floor and convenf iently filled withthe prepared or mixed cementitious material in a desirable and ecos0 nomicalmanner obviati ng the necessity of manually handling and transporting the plaster to convenient positions around the ceiling or walls ofa room or the like; 7

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of trowel or spreader adapted to be revolved froma motor which also constitutes motive power for driving a force-pump or conveyor to raise the ma-' terial to the point of application, means being provided to control the flow of the I materials to cut off the same or regulate the volume thereof, while novel means are also provided to controlthe operation of the driving means for lifting the material or revolving the trowel so that they may be operated together or simultaneously or the trowel operated independently "by the operator handling the appliance, the trowel being also mounted to move at various. angles and a nozzle being provided at the outlet end of the conduit to spread the material over the-entire surface orany portion of the trowel to facilitate the application thereof and insure uniformity of thickness.

'The'invention in a preferred form is i1- .Figure 1 is an elevation of my novel 1 tering machine, also showin the wiring arrangement for controlling t e operation of an electric motor used for driving purposes. Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevatlon showing the revolving trowel and adacentparts, the same being taken on the line 22 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the partsshown in Figure 2. I

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 4 indicates a receptacle or hopper in which plaster or other cementitious material 5, whlch has been previously mixed, is

placed. The hopper is preferably funnelshaped and discharges into a conveyor or force-pump 6 which is adapted to be driven by a prime 'mover shown in the form of an electric motor 7, all mounted upon a suitable base 8 adapted to be arranged upon the' floor. A clutch 9 is designed to connect the drive shaft of the motor with the pump fi. and is adapted to be thrown into and out of engagement and controlled electrically or otherwise to drive'the pumpatwill or stop it as desired. 1

One end of the motor shaft'is adapted to be connectedtothe pump and the other end has connected theretothrough the medium of a couplin 10, a flexible shaft 11, the

length of which may be adjusted. or varied as desired. This shaft leads along an elongated tubular handle 12 upon the opposite end of which a revolving trowel or spreader 13 is rotatably mounted at right an les to its surfaces. This trowel. is preferalily in the form of a circular plate or disk, of.

metal or other'material, having its edge 14 angularly extended away from its fade, but

maybe of anyother suitable form desired.

The axis upon which the plate is mounted tion may be made directly or indirectly with the flexible shaft 11, but as shown, a gear coupled or rigidly connected to the adjacent' end of the flexibleshaft 11, as indicated at 23, at onegiend, and having fixed on ite opposite end'a' smaller beveled gear or pinion 24 disposed in mesh with the beveled gear 17 whereby the speed of rotation of the trowel or plate thereof may be reduced or regulated as desired, according to the speed of the motor or suitable reduction gear inter osed therebetween.

conduit leads from the'outlet of the conveyor or pump 6 and is provided with a valve 26, if desired, to cut off or control the discharge'of material from the conveyor or pump and the forcing thereof, under pressure, fluid or otherwise, through the conduit or pi 25. The pipe 25 is preferably flexible and adapted to withstand considerable pressure, being also adjustable or variable in length to correspond with the flexible shaft 11 so that all points within a room may be reached. The conduit'25 extends along the handle 12 and there, may be clamped or fastened thereto, as indicated at 27, together with the flexible shaft 11, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The bearing 20' is provided with a plate extension 28 preferably sector-shaped and extendin at an ange toward the plate 13 as more c early shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, with the peripheral edge thereof located beyond the periphery of the plate and formed with a double-walled nozzle 29 the discharge opening 30 of which preferably turns inwardly towards the edge of the plate todischarge the materialfi adjacent or onto the same, as also seen in Figure 2. The nozzle 29 is provided with a central sleeve 32 to which the adjacent or dischar e end of the conduit 25 is coupled as in icatedat 33, so that when the conveyor or pump is operating, driven by the motor, the material will be conveyed through the conduit and discharged from the nozzle onto the plate, there to be a plied by pressure and by the rotation of t e plate as the operator, while grasping the handle 12, moves the trowel over the surface to be covered,

'of from a suitable source 0 connecting the conveyor or pump 6 with the motor 7, whereby material will be conveyed or not, and to permit independent operation of the'trowel as well as simultaneous operation of the trowel and the feeding of the material, a novel arrangement is -provided. This control is preferably efl'ected electrically, and as shown, a switch 34 is provided u on the handle 12 and has wires 35 and 36 eading therefrom and connected to the motor 7 to control the o ration thereelectrical energy, not shown. The switch 34 may be of any suitable type, such as the usual button switch. A corres ondin switch 37 is provided on the hen le ductorsor wires 38 and 39 to an electromagnet such as desi ated at 40 in diagrammatie form, or ot er suitable means for controlling the operation of the clutch 9 whereby it may be conveniently thrown in and out for connecting or disconnecting the conveyor or pump 6 with respect to the motor 7 In the operation of the device,-the plastic material is deposited in the hopper 4 for discharge into the conveyor or pump 6,

connected by eonwhich may be of any suitable construction.

The supply of plaster or other suitable cementitious material to be spread upon a surface or otherwise applied, may be maintained or replenished, by the same operator or an additlonal workman. The operator then'grasps the handle 12 andby manipulating the switches 34 and 37, may start the motor to drive the shaft 11 and through the operative connections thereof with the plate 13 of the revolving trowel, rotate the latter. By operating the clutch 9, the con-' veyor or pump 6 may be connected to the motor to force the material under fluid or air pressure or otherwise, through the conduit 25 for discharge through the nozzle 29 slightly in advance of, and upon the plate 13. By applying the proper pressure to the plate by means of the handle, the material will be effectively applied, spread, and caused to adhere to the surface to be coated or covered. The volume of material flowing may be regulated by the valve 26, and ifdesir'ed, the conveyor may be disconnected from the pump simply'by pressing a butten or operating the switch 37, so that the trowel may be driven without feeding the material, so that the surface may be effectively smoothed, or finished. That is, the material may be fed while'the trowel is revolving, this being of use when applying a first coat. Ordinarily, however, the trowel will be driven when applying a second coat, as well as in applying the first coat.

Thus it will be seen that lasterin operations maybe quickly, efi'ectwel an conveniently as well as economical carried on by means of a plastering mac ine conpresent system. By providing the handle 12 of the properlength, derricks or sc'afl'oldin need not be employed, unless the walls and ceiling are extraordinarily high. The device ma be conveniently controlled and by it, any esired degree of pressure may be applied, according to the material used, and,

- while, as'shown, a form which I now consider apreferred embodiment of the inven-.. tion is illustrated, it is to be understood that I do not desire to be restricted in this respect, as the drive connections between the shaft and the trowel plate, and the details of construction, form and arrangement of the other parts, may be varied as desired so long as they do not depart from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,

1. In a plastering machine, a supporting member having a bearing, said bearing being adjustable angularly with respect to the support, a trowel rotatably mounted in the bearings, and a discharge nozzle adjacent the trowel and having'conne'ctions with a source of supply for plaster.

2. In a plastering machine, a handle, a bearing. on the handle, a trowel rotatably mounted on the bearing and adjustable angularly with respect toithe handle, driving means for the trowel. an elongated discharge nozzle adjacent the trowel and adapted to spread the material thereon, means for forcing the material through the nozzle, and means controlling the driving means and forcing means.

3. In a plastering machine, a revolving trowel, a nozzle having an arcuate discharge orifice extending around and adjacent to the edge portion of the trowel, a motor having operative connections with the trowel for driving the same, a hopper, a pum for re-' ceiving plaster from the hopper an forcing the same therefrom, a conduit for conveying the discharged plaster from the pump to the nozzle for discharge upon the trowel, operative connections between the motor and pump, and means in proximity to the trowel for. causing the operation or inoperation of the motor and pump.

4. In a plastering machine, a handle, a

spindle pivoted on the handle, a trowel mounted on the spindle, and means for supplying plaster to the trowel.

5. n a plastering machine, a handle, a trowel mounted on the handle, a motor, driving connections between the motor and the trowel for rotatin the latter, means for angularly adjusting t e trowel with respect to the handle, a pump for forcin material onto the trowel, and means on the andle for controlling the operation of the motor.

6. In a plastering'machine, a handle, a

trowel mounted on the handle, a motor,

driving connections between the motor and" the trowel for rotating the latter, a pump forforcing material onto the trowel, means for cgmecting the pump to the motor or disconnecting the same, and means on 'the handle for controlling themotor, and the latter means, and means upon'the handle to electrically control the operation of the motor and connecting means between the motor and the pump to. permit independent operation of the trowel or simultaneous operation of the trowel and ump.

7. In a plasterin mac ine, a handle, a spindle pivoted to t e end of the handle, a

bracket mounted on the spindle, a discharge nozzle carried by the bracket, a trowel rotatably mounted on the spindle and means supported from trowel.

8. In a plastering machine, a handle, a spindle pivoted to the end of the handle, a bracket mounted on the spindle, a. discharge nozzle carried by the bracket, a gear mounted on the bracket, a trowel rotatably mounted on the spindle and a gear carried by thetrowel adapted to mesh the gear mounted on the bracket.

9. In a plastering machine a rotary disk trowel and means for'supplying and directing the plaster inwardly to the trowel adjacent its periphery.

10. In a plastering machine a rotary disk trowel having a peripheral lip and means for supplying and directing plaster inwardly from adjacent its periphery under said lip. i

11. In a plastering machine a rotary disk trowel in combination with a plaster conveying nozzle having an arcuate discharge mouth positioned beyond but adjacent the periphery of the trowel and directed inwardly toward the trowels axis of rotation.

the spindle for rotating the 

